Unresponsive Clients

If you are working with a client and they become unresponsive for a long period of time, it may be best to stop working on the project and wait for contact from the client. In some cases, you may also reach out to Upwork to contact the client on your behalf.

On an hourly contract, it is often best to end your contract with an unresponsive client. Already-logged hours will be invoiced as usual, but no further payment should be expected on the ended contract. Even if your client fails to pay you for the hours invoiced, you will still be paid if you are eligible for Upwork Hourly Protection.

On a fixed-price contract, ending the contract forfeits any funds remaining in escrow. Instead, it is often best to submit your last milestone. If your client fails to respond to that, funds will be automatically released after 14 days. If they respond but refuse the work and continue to cause unreasonable delays, you have the option to file a dispute against them.